Velia Harkonen

Velia Garza Harkonen, of Grand Blanc, passed away on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, surrounded by her family. She was 86 years old.

Born March 17, 1939 in San Antonio, Texas she was the daughter of Tomas and Virginia (Pardo) Garza. Throughout her life Velia experienced life living in many places, San Antonio, Owosso, Detroit, Cheyenne, Wyoming, Topeka, Kansas, Redondo Beach and San Diego California eventually residing in Grand Blanc Michigan. Throughout her life art played a very significant role, whether it was taking art classes, drawing, refinishing furniture, decorating, sewing draperies or making her children’s clothing, in fact her 1st job was with Michigan Bell where she drew the artwork for the phone books. Velia retired from General Dynamics after 27 years eventually working her way to becoming a Logistics Manager. She was a member of St. Matthews Catholic Church in Flint as well as a 3rd Order Carmelite.

Velia is survived by her children; John Harkonen and wife Wendy, Christopher Harkonen and wife Antoinette, Anna-Liisa Trent and husband Ray, and Robert Harkonen; grandchildren, Angela Carpenter, Christopher Stanley, Melissa Koller, Erica Harkonen, Sonia Harkonen, Ray Trent, Anastassia Trent, Mario Harkonen and Nina Harkonen; great grandchildren, Isabella, Liliana, Evelina, Rafael, Jose, Kylie, Anthony and Miila; her sisters, Eleanor Houston and Mary Lupe Dobroczynski, as well as a multitude of nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Tomas and Virginia Garza as well as nine siblings, Aurora Correa, Gloria Florek, Arturo Garza, Tomas Garza, Jose Garza, Lucio Garza, Victoria Lokar, Consuelo Kryza and Julio Garza.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 am Saturday, October 18, 2025 at St. Matthews Catholic Church, 701 Church Street Flint, MI 48502 with Father Anthony Strouse as celebrant. Visitation will be on Friday, October 17 from 4:00-8:00 pm at Sharp Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 6063 Fenton Road Grand Blanc, MI 48507 with a Rosary service to be held at 7:00 pm. For those unable to attend the visitation on Friday there will be visitation from 9:00am until time of Mass on Saturday. Interment will take place at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton Township of Saturday afternoon at 1:30 pm. After which, a luncheon will be held at Fern Hill (3:00pm) 17600 Clinton River Road, Clinton Township MI 48038 Please visit www.sharpfuneralhomes.com to sign the guestbook or to leave a memory.